It's Always Like This
by mikasa-heichou
Summary: Levi exhaled, satisfied after hearing Erwin's snores next to him. The raven haired man found comfort in Erwin's snoring, in contrast to everyone else hating it, because it reminded him that they were still alive and kicking. He turned back on his side, this time facing the larger man before tucking himself under his chin, finally letting his eyes close and his mind wander. [Eruri]


If it wasn't Levi visiting Erwin in the middle of the night, then it was the other way around. Which was quite rare, really. Tonight was especially quiet. Levi sat hunched over his desk, legs crossed under the wood and an empty cup of tea at the corner of desk. The soft orange glow of the candle filled the room while the hum of the night kept him company. He filed papers of the deceased soldiers; it came in stacks- always- in perfect alphabetical order as if it was the least they could do to honor their deaths. Levi spent most of his time writing names of cadets who he didn't even hear of. People he never spoke to, yet still had a story to tell. Every name he wrote had a family, a lover, a sister, a brother-

The door opened and a head of blond hair peaked through.

"You're awake."

Levi looked up from his shaking hand, flexing it to get a hold of himself. "You're here. Are we done stating the obvious?" The raven replied, leaning back and stretching in his chair.

"It's late. Why aren't you in bed?" Erwin crossed the length of his room to lay on his bed, clad in his night clothes and slipping under Levi's sheets. His shoulders were slouched comfortably in comparison to the usual straight posture he held in front of his subordinates. Only once has Levi seen them sag in disappointment.

"Yeah, make yourself at home." Levi rolled his eyes at his mannerisms, but he would never admit how much he appreciated the domesticity of their relationship. "And I could ask you the same thing."

"I couldn't sleep." Erwin replied after a moment of silence. He swung an arm over to cover his eyes.

"Why, are you constipated again?" Levi said dryly. Erwin laughed, a deep rumble in his chest.

"Why are you the way you are?"

"Fuck if I know. Ask Kenny."

And they fell into another comfortable silence. It was like this most nights, seeking each other out for comfort after endless deaths surrounding them, drowning in the paperwork and grievances from the deceased's family. It was times like this when their walls would come down. Levi pushed the thoughts out of his mind and began tugging on his cravat, placing it on his dresser neatly as he began stripping down to his sleeping clothes.

"The way you talk to me, I could easily demote you or kick you out." Erwin reminded him, sending a smile Levi's way.

"But you don't." Levi sighed and moved to blow the candles out.

"I couldn't." The shorter man padded over to his bed after darkness filled the corners of the room. He lifted the covers to settle in next to Erwin, squirming in the little space left on the twin bed.

"Move over, you big oaf. And keep your freakishly cold feet to yourself." Erwin clicked his tongue in annoyance as he moved to lay on his side to face him and make room. Levi stretched out, turning on his side to face his back towards the blonde.

The laid in silence and the steady sounds of their breathing lulling Levi to sleep. But as the restless commander laid in bed tonight, Erwin remained wide awake.

"Levi." He called out softly. The said man shifted, half asleep. "Levi."

"Oh my god, what." he bit out.

"Sing me a lullaby."

"Are you six?"

"No, I have insomnia. Sing me a lullaby." He asked again, watching in amusement as Levi spit out a string of curses to himself, yet he still turned on his back, clearing his throat and pausing.

" _Die Stühle liegen sehr eng, wir reden die ganze Nacht lang,"_

Erwin smiled to himself. It was always a treat to hear his captain speak German, even more so to hear him sing it.

" _Diese niedrige Raum ist nicht schlecht, wir können uns gut verstehen,"_

It wasn't perfect. His voice was rough and tired, laced with sleep, and his pronunciation stumbled a bit, but it relaxed him anyway. Erwin inhaled and scooted closer to his captain.

" _So ist es immer unser Licht ist nur das, trinken und singen wir begrüßen morgen,"_

Erwin suddenly felt his eyelids get heavier, closing finally after listening to him sing. Levi's voice began to fade out slowly.

" _So ist es immer unterm rußigen Himmel, leben bis zusammen, der Nacht ist lang."_

He looked over to the man on his left, seeing him drift off to sleep with every word.

" _Da die Sterne nicht leuchten, da der Mond auf diese Stadt nicht scheint, schauten wir das Licht selbst an, singen wir unter dem Steinhimmel."_

Levi exhaled, satisfied after hearing Erwin's snores next to him. The raven haired man found comfort in Erwin's snoring, in contrast to everyone else hating it, because it reminded him that they were still alive and kicking. He turned back on his side, this time facing the larger man before tucking himself under his chin, finally letting his eyes close and his mind wander.

* * *

"Levi! Levi!" a rapid knocking disrupted the said man from his sleep. He squeezed his eyes shut and refused to wake up for anyone so early in the morning.

"Levi!" it was Hanji's voice, he concluded, which made him even more unwilling to open the door. She was probably just drooling over some titan experiment. "Levi, it's important! Erwin is missing!" the sound of distress laced her voice very clearly and he nearly jumped out of bed to send a search party if it weren't for a pair of muscled arms holding him firmly against Erwin's chest.

" _Oh yeah,"_ Levi thought, " _he's right there. How did I miss something that big?"_ the raven yawned as he pressed his forehead into Erwin's collarbone in hopes to drown out Hanji's voice.

"I'm coming in and you can't get mad at me for not knocking, because I did!" the brunette slammed the door open, searching frantically for the short man. Instead, the scientist found a bundle of two bodies on the bed she had expected to find him in.

"Commander?!" she screeched. Erwin cracked an eye open, slightly cranky at the ruckus so early in the morning.

"Squad Leader Hanji, it is four thirty in the morning. What could you possibly need at this hour?" he asked as politely as he possibly could. His voice was rough with sleep.

"I went to your room to ask for permission for and experiment and you weren't there, so I figured Levi would know so I- wait where's Levi?!" Her glasses were off due to it being so early in the morning; the obvious head of black hair in bed was blurry to Hanji as she ran to poke her head back out the door to look for the captain.

At the sound of his name he finally pulled himself from Erwin's chest and emerged from a heap of blankets and limbs. He ignored the look of surprise spreading across her face. If looks could kill, Hanji would be dead in an instant.

"I'm right fucking here. And if you don't get out in three seconds I will personally retrieve my stepping stool and cunt punch you with a cactus."

Hanji, immune to his eccentric threats, just placed her hands on her hips. "Where the hell do you get these threats?" she oppressed her laughter, knowing from personal experience it would end badly if she did.

"Did I fucking stutter."

"Right, right," Hanji raised her arms defensively, watching Levi fall back into the bed and roll over on top of Erwin.

Once again, a string of curses spilled out of Levi's mouth. Nothing out of the usual, except Erwin laughed tiredly at his anger so early in the morning and placed a hand atop his hair to calm him down.

"My apologies, again, sir." Hanji sheepishly saluted and made her way to the door.

"Not a problem, Hanji. I'll see you in the morning." Erwin replied, waving her off as she shut the door behind her. He looked down at Levi's jet black hair.

"You need to learn to be nicer to people."

* * *

A/N: I'm so soft for their relationship and Levi's personality comes so easy for me to write haha. I really connect to this man on a spiritual level. I hope you enjoyed! Leave some love in the reviews~


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